Smoked chili with tri-tip that wins competitions! Thick beefy bites, smoky depth and spice-layered flavor in every spoonful.
Table of Contents
The Meat
I’ve entered and won a few chili cook-offs in my life. One of the things that always helps put me over the top is using tri-tip. It’s so much sexier than ground beef because you get thick meaty chunks in every bite.
I rub it liberally and smoke it to medium rare for about one hour. Then, it gets sliced into bite-size cubes that really impress the judges.
My Winning Technique
The one technique that is the secret to champion chili is layering in your seasonings throughout the cook. At each stage, the seasoning will melt into the chili base with different intensity, creating a harmony of spices and a beautifully complex flavor.
I add spices to the tri-tip when I smoke it. Then, I add spices when I add the beef stock and other ingredients. Just before serving, another round of spices gets mixed in for that final wow factor.
Champion Chili Recipe with Smoked Tri-Tip
Ingredients
- 3 pound tri-tip
- 5 tbsp Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub
- 28 ounce can san marzano crushed tomatoes
- 32 ounces canned kidney beans, 2 cans
- 32 ounces canned navy beans , 2 cans
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 dried chiles
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat Smoker: Heat your smoker up to 250F degrees with an indirect heat zone. (See alternate cooking methods below.)
- Season: Trim your tri-tip to remove any excess fat or silver skin. Season the tri-tip all over with 2-3 tablespoons of Brisket Rub.
- Smoke: Place the seasoned tri-tip on your smoker over indirect heat. Smoke for 45 minutes to 1 hour to an internal temperature of 130F degrees. Remove from the smoker and let rest.
- Increase Heat: Adjust your grill and increase the heat to 350F degrees
- Mix Chili: In a large Dutch oven or kettle, add the tomatoes, beans (including liquid), beef stock, 1 tablespoon of Brisket rub, chili powder, dried chiles and bay leaves. Dice the tri-tip into cubes and add it to the pot.
- Simmer: Place the pot on your smoker and simmer for about 1 hour. For maximum smoke flavor, do not cover the pot, but do close the grill lid.
- Season: Remove the dried chiles and bay leaves. Stir in 1 more tablespoon of brisket rub and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What you’ll need
- Beef Tri-Tip: This is a cut from the loin section of the cow.
- Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub: This includes kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, chiles and cumin, making it perfect for this recipe.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- Canned Red Kidney Beans
- Canned Navy Beans
- Beef Stock or Beef Broth
- Chile Powder
- Dried Chiles: Any variety will work.
- Bay Leaves
Substitutions: Instead of crushed tomatoes, you can also use canned diced tomatoes. They will add more texture. Mix things up by trying different beans like pinto beans or black beans.
See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to cook smoked chili
Step 1: Set up your grill or smoker
Big Green Egg: Light the lump charcoal. Insert the plate setter (feet up). Add the grill rack. Adjust the vents until it burns at 250F degrees. Add cherry wood chips for added flavor.
Pellet Grill: Fill the hopper with your favorite pellets. Set the temp to 250F degrees.
Kettle Grill: Place lump charcoal on one half of the grill. Light and adjust the vents until the temp registers 250F. Add cherry wood chips for added flavor. Place the meat on the side without coals.
Gas Grill: Turn the burners on one side of the grill and adjust until the temp registers 250F degrees. Use a pellet tube or smoke box for smoked flavor. Place the meat on the unlit side.
Oven/Stove Top/Slow Cooker: Roast the tri-tip in a 250-degree oven, until it reaches 130 degrees. Chop and sauté the meat in a large pot on the stove top with 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke. Then, finish the recipe on the stove over medium-low heat, or dump everything into a slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low, adding rub at the end.
Step 2: Prep and Season Tri-Tip
Use a sharp knife to remove any excess fat or silver skin from the tri-tip. Season it liberally all over with Brisket Rub.
Step 3: Smoke Tri-Tip
Place the tri-tip on the preheated smoker. Cook until it reaches an internal temperature of about 130F degrees. This should take 45-60 minutes. Remove the tri-tip from the smoker and let it rest.
PRO TIP: I use a Thermapen ONE digital meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the beef.
Step 4: Increase grill temperature
Adjust the grill to increase the temperature to 350F degrees. If using a charcoal grill, add more coals and adjust the vents. If using a pellet grill, simply increase the temp.
Step 5: Mix Chili
Place the tomatoes, beans, beef stock, 1 tablespoon of Brisket Rub, chili powder, dried chiles and bay leaves in a large Dutch oven. You can do this step as the meat smokes.
PRO TIP: When adding the beans, include the liquid. Don't drain them.
Dice up the tri-tip into half inch size pieces and stir into the pot.
Step 6: Smoke the chili
Place the pot of chili on the smoker. Do not add a lid. You want the smoke to infuse into the pot. Cover the grill and smoke for about an hour, stirring every 20-30 minutes.
PRO TIP: Finishing the chili on the smoker gives it maximum smoky flavor. You can also let it simmer on the stove over medium heat.
Step 7: Add more seasoning
For that championship pot of chili, add a bit more seasoning. Remove the dried chiles and bay leaves. Then, stir in one more tablespoon of Brisket Rub.
How to serve smoked chili
Spoon the smoked chili into a bowl. Top chili with your favorite toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, sour cream or crushed Fritos.
I love it with a skillet of homemade cornbread or Sweet Corn Pudding Casserole
If you want to serve smoked chili at a party, transfer it to a slow cooker or crock pot and keep it warm on the low setting.
Storage
Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave. You can also freeze chili for up to six months.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Season your chili in multiple stages
- Smoke the tri-tip to 130F degrees
- Include the liquid from the canned beans
- Smoke the chili with the lid off for more flavor
Frequently Asked Questions
You can just use lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes and you’ll get plenty of smoke flavor. For extra smokiness, try using cherry wood, oak, hickory or even mesquite.
Usually, the chili that is served on hot dogs is made with ground beef or ground pork and no beans.
My secret for winning multiple chili cook offs is to layer the flavors. Start by seasoning your meat. Then, add more seasoning as the chili simmers. Finally, add more seasoning at the end.
Tri Tip is my wife’s favorite. My 8-year old and 4-year old are picky meat eaters. my 6-year old is less picky. 100% of everyone in the house loved this and the 2 olders had a refill! I served this with homemade cheesy polenta and homemade dinner rolls I made while waiting on the chili :). I am a chili-guy. People rave about my chili when I take to pot-lucks. This is going to be the one i take next time.
If you use a gas grill which one do you like best?
I’ve enjoyed my Weber Genesis for several years. I also love my Aspire by Hestan.
Do you drain the beans before adding?
No. I pour in the whole can.
I loved this recipe! I used dried new Mexico Chiles. I as wondering what type of Chiles did you use?